Members of Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Clanton are giving thanks this week that an electrical fire at the church on Sunday did not get out of hand.

“We are just all really thankful that we were at the church when the fire happened,” Poplar Springs Baptist Church Pastor Ken Brand said. “The fire happened when people from the church were inside the building, and we know that if it had happened during a time when no one was there it could have burned the whole church down.”

The fire started during the afternoon singing service on Aug. 9 when one of the deacons in the church noticed smoke coming out of a vent in the church, Brand said.

“I was sitting toward the front of the church, and the deacon came and alerted me that something was wrong,” Brand said. “We found that the fire had started in the attic, and by the time we got up there to look at it, the attic was covered with smoke and we could barely breathe.”

Once all of the church members were escorted out of the building, firefighters with the Clanton Fire Department responded to the scene and shortly had everything under control.

“We found out that it was some wiring in the attic that caught fire, and the damage to the church was very minimal, but it was just something we were thankful didn’t get out of hand,” Brand said.

Brand said after the fire was under control, the roughly 50 church members gathered in a circle holding hands, praying and thanking God for allowing everything to happen the way it did.

“I think that was the neatest part was seeing everyone come together and give thanks that it wasn’t worse than what it could have been,” Brand said. “I think it is very important that people are in the church today, and how important the church building is. God took care of us.”

Brand said his sermon earlier that Sunday morning focused on the power of the Holy Ghost, and he mentioned to the congregation how fire signifies the power of God.

“I had just been talking about fire and the power of God, and then this happened that afternoon,” Brand said. “I think the biggest thing we took away from all of this is a lot of people take the church building for granted sometimes. When something like this happens, I think it makes people more appreciative and aware of the church as a whole.”